music

Personal Narrative·Audrey Tushman, age 12 — A gymnast describes the sensory experience of competition, from entering the arena through her floor routine, emphasizing drive over winning.

Poetry·Lucy Rados, age 13 — A beat trapped in the speaker's head both torments and defines them, pulling them through life's extremes while shaping their identity.

Poetry·Pei-Ying Olsen, age 9 — A young musician experiences how playing music transforms perception, turning static moments into flowing streams and city streets into moon-lit landscapes.

Poetry·Tessa Hsieh Schumacher, age 10 — A young writer explores her name through sound and image, from clear streams to butterfly wings, discovering it as her core of courage and uniqueness.

Poetry·Sofie Dardzinski, age 9 — A young guitarist loses herself in playing, as golden light fades to darkness and the music wraps around her like a quilt.

Poetry·Summer Loh, age 8 — A girl captures a single domestic moment: her brother toddling, father playing guitar, mother cooking, while she types and notices summer trees blooming outside.

Poetry·William Chui, age 13 — A boy discovers beauty in his seemingly routine summer day, noticing small details — a flickering light, his dog's warm belly, new plants in the backyard.

Personal Narrative·Violet Lou, age 10 — A kindergartener watches classmates play piano until her mother finally asks if she wants to learn, leading to the arrival of her own piano.

Story·Nora Heiskell, age 12 — Katrina's life changes when she befriends Mr. McCumber, a lonely old man, and later finds herself in an orphanage where she forms a chosen family with other orphaned girls.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — A girl tries to become like her perfect classmate Stella by copying her activities, but discovers her own talents and identity along the way.